JACKSON — Ironton’s pitching woes were making coach Tobey Schreck weary. Ethan Preston stepped in and gave the Fighting Tigers a shot in the arm until he grew weary.

Preston pitched five solid innings before growing tired, and Jackson took advantage by scoring nine runs in the sixth inning and pulled away to a 17-7 win Friday in an SEOAL game.

“Ethan pitched a heck of a game. His pitch count was 117 and he was tired, so we had to take him out,” said Ironton coach Tobey Schreck.

Ironton took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning on doubles by Wes Runyon and Geoff White. Jackson tied the game in the bottom of the inning.

The Ironmen got four runs in the second inning to lead 5-1 and each team got a run in the fourth.

The Fighting Tigers scored on a wild pitch after Keith Wetzel and Preston singled.

Ironton then scored five times in the top of the sixth to close the gap to 8-7.

Josh Pancake singled, White doubled and Jeremy Moore delivered an RBI single. Bryon Brammer walked to load the bases and Ryan O’Leary smacked a two-run single.

Keith Wetzel walked and John Schweickart hit a sacrifice fly. Preston singled and Runyon hit another sacrifice fly.

But

Jackson used seven walks, a hit batsman and just two hits as it scored nine times in the bottom of the inning.

Ironton (5-15, 2-10) hosts Fairland Monday in the final home game.

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Ethan Preston, John Schweickart (6), Keith Wetzel (6) and Byron Brammer. Owsley and Haller. W-Owsley (5-K, 2-BB).L-Preston. 2B-Ironton: Wes Runyon, Byron Brammer, Geoff White 2; Jackson: Coyan, Malone. 3B-Jackson: Haller 2. Hitting-Ironton: Ethan Preston 2-4, Wes Runyon 1-3, Josh Pancake 1-4, Geoff White 2-3, Jeremy Moore 2-3, Byron Bammer 1-2, Ryan O’Leary 1-3 (2 rbi), Keith Wetzel 1-2; Jackson: Smtih1-3, Ferris 2-3, Coyan 3-4, Malone 1-3, Haller 2-5, Newsome 1-4, Osborne 1-3.